In his latest blog post on the Huffington Post website, Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) calls on Gov. Scott Walker and legislative Republicans to drop their plans to end same-day voter registration and other extreme initiatives that do nothing to create jobs and only serve to divide the state. Richards says Republicans should channel their energies into working together with Democrats to restart Wisconsin’s economy and build up the middle class. Here’s an edited excerpt of Richards’ blog post:

“Eyeing yet another way to give himself and his fellow Republicans an advantage at the polls, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker last month told a gathering of GOP operatives and donors in California that he’d support repealing Wisconsin’s 36-year-old law that allows for same-day voter registration.

“In fact, ending same-day registration is the first piece of legislation coming from Walker’s fellow Republicans. Republicans are kicking off their legislative agenda with a socially divisive, unnecessary and extremist piece of legislation instead of a jobs bill.

“We don’t need fewer people voting. We need more people working.

“Walker told his Golden State friends that he wants to end same-day registration in Wisconsin not because of misconduct by voters or poll workers—there isn’t any—but because registering people on the same day is too difficult for volunteers. The poll works have answered “bunk”— or words to that effect.

“The challenges facing Wisconsin families and the country are too great for this extremism to continue. It’s time for Republicans to channel their energy into bringing us together to create jobs and strengthen our middle class.”

You can read Richards’ full blog post here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-richards/gov-walker-voter-registration_b_2253770.html

Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), a member of the legislature’s budget committee, released the following statement in support of a proposal announced today to provide $175,000 in state funds for the Milwaukee Police Department’s ShotSpotter Program.